Replacement Cassette, Bars and Saddle

[SEATALTEA]

The Mistral should be back on the road in the next few days after some battery issues and having spent the last couple of weeks commuting on the MTB I think the Mistral needs some changes.

I want to change the rear cassette for greater speed on the flat and easier/faster hill climbing. The Mistral is not restricted thanks to the wire trick.

So my question is what alternative cassettes are available which will provide this ?

Would an alternative front sprocket combined with a new rear make a greater difference ?

I'd like some new wider bars and bar ends but I suspect removing and replacing the throttle will be a hassle, anyone done this ?

A new lightweight stem and saddle are called for to reduce weight and improve comfort, what do you use/suggest ?

I'm becoming tempted by a normal human powered lightweight road bike as my fitness is now generally very high thanks to near daily riding but these alterations to the Mistral may just extend my use of it.

 

[Mussels]

I want to change the rear cassette for greater speed on the flat and easier/faster hill climbing. The Mistral is not restricted thanks to the wire trick.

So my question is what alternative cassettes are available which will provide this ?

Would an alternative front sprocket combined with a new rear make a greater difference ?

I've changed both on my wisper for similar reasons but I wanted to lower the gearing which is much higher than the Mistral as standard. The best way to raise all of the gears is to get a larger chainring at the front, lots of different fittings so shop carefully.
With a bigger chainring your chain is likely to be too small so a new one may be in order, like my Wisper your chain is probably longer than a standard 116 link one so you might need to buy 2 chains and put them together.
I suspect you don't have a cassette at the back as you have a hub motor (I think), it is probably the older freewheel type. If your existing setup is fairly worn then you are well advised to change this at the same time as the rest as a worn freewheel can knacker a new chain which will then knacker the good chainring. Problem is this is no job for the faint of DIY skills as I found out recently, you will need the right tools that fit over the spindle as well as into the freewheel although you can use destructive removal on the old freewheel. You will also need to disconnect the electrics to fit the tools over the wire and some good leverage to get the thing undone.
It's not difficult when you know how but getting it right first time takes some thought. Problem is the motor drag, when I rode the Mistral I noticed it at fairly low speeds and I wondered if the low gearing was deliberate to hide it. You may find that higher gearing is pointless because of the effort required to pedal above the motor speed.

I'd like some new wider bars and bar ends but I suspect removing and replacing the throttle will be a hassle, anyone done this ?

A new lightweight stem and saddle are called for to reduce weight and improve comfort, what do you use/suggest ?

I'd have thought that these aren't worth bothering about, how much weight do you think you will save? Comfort is a valid reason but are you sure what you have in mind will improve comfort?

 

[SEATALTEA]

Mussels

Thank you very much for you comprehensive reply.

I think a trip to the LBS may be in order, I assumed the rear sprockets were a cassette but Sheldon Brown has now set me straight on the difference.

Freewheel or Cassette? by Sheldon Brown

A new front ring may be an easy first start although I have looked at the MegaRange rear from Shimano and wondered what impact this would have on the general riding characteristics of the Mistral ?

The original saddle and stem seem to weigh a great deal and on long rides I find the huge sprung saddle quite uncomfortable. I have become used to a very slim saddle on the MTB and unusually now prefer this.

Your are correct about the drag from the motor, this may be a limiting factor but I had hoped reduced weight and alternative gearing may go some way to overcome this. Now better weather is a almost upon us I shall strip the mudguards and rack off as well, the basic Mistral frame, motor and battery are quite low in weight all things considered but all the other 'cheap' components add considerable bulk. The pedals alone , now swapped for SPDs, were incredibly heavy.

The bars may indeed be an alteration too far.

 

[Mussels]

If your chain is worn then a new front ring may not work, I had to change mine in a hurry as the old chainring lost it's teeth. Most of the way round the chain sat proud of the teeth with only 3 teeth actually sitting right. If you have done less than about 1000 miles you may be fine.
I can well understand the saddle change, now I much prefer a slim blokes saddle.
I had a megarange freewheel and was not impressed, the place you need gears the most is at slow speeds and I always found myself wanting the missing gears between. It may be the right answer for you if you don't see many hills but you will possibly need a new rear mech with a longer cage to reach the 34 tooth gear.
Your LBS may be a bit scared of the electrics, especially if they have seen one before. If I was putting my bike in then I think I would disconnect the electrics myself removing the chance for the spanner monkey to mess it up.